Water removal device

ABSTRACT

A water removal device to withdraw virtually all the water from the drain in the bottom of a swimming pool comprising an elongated lower suction or vacuum housing including a plurality of perforations or holes formed therein to receive water from a pool drain and an upper suction or vacuum source to create a suction or vacuum to draw water from the pool drain through the perforations or holes into and through the lower suction or vacuum housing to remove the water from the pool drain.

CROSS-REFERENCE

This is a continuation application of co-pending patent application Ser.No. 13/199,394 filed Aug. 29, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

A water removal device to withdraw the water from a drain in the bottomof a swimming pool.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Numerous devices have been designed to aid in removing water from bottomof a swimming pool. Unfortunately there are no such devices capable ofremoving virtually all the water from a swimming pool with acceptableefficiency. Several examples of vacuum devices are discussed below.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,601,774 shows a vacuum tool comprising a hollow cylinderclosed at each end having a channel suction member disposed therein.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,899 relates to a vacuum cleaning system for atherapeutic tub that utilizes an aerating intake for jet nozzles locatedaround the tub. A vacuum hose is connected to the air intake to draw inair. A vacuum head connected at the other end of the hose is moved alongthe bottom and sides of the tub to draw in the water as well as leavesand debris trapped at a filter screen.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,631 shows a vacuum apparatus for temporaryinstallation in a fireplace or stove having a central opening with afloor at the bottom and a flue at the top thereof for cleaning the flue.The apparatus includes a hollow funnel-shaped adapter member configuredat its upper end to generally conform to the size and shape of thebottom portion or throat of the flue of the fireplace and has a bottomend connected by a flexible hose to the inlet of a collection container.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,353,564 describes an attachment for portable power andsuction unit comprising a control tube to extend from a floor toadjacent shoulder height of a standing user and a vacuum head formedfrom a length of tube having a slot in one side and with the ends of theslot closed. A flexible connection between the interior of the vacuumhead and the interior of a control tube to be connected to a portablepower and suction unit while allowing limited pivoting of the longcontrol tube is the plane of the slot and normal to a bottom of thevacuum head.

Additional examples of the prior art are found in the following patents:U.S. Pat. No. 3,134,128: U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,843: U.S. Pat. No.3,310,173: U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,017 and U.S. Pat. No. D 453,246.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a water removal device to withdrawvirtually all the water from the pool drain comprising a trough formedin the bottom of a swimming pool.

The water removal device comprises a lower suction or vacuum housingconfigured to be at least partially disposed within the trough duringoperation of the water removal device and an upper suction or vacuumsource in fluid communication with the trough through the lower suctionor vacuum within the trough to draw to remove water therefrom.

The upper suction or vacuum source may be detachably coupled to thelower suction or vacuum housing a coupling sleeve affixed to the lowersuction or vacuum housing or single piece with the lower suction orvacuum housing and the upper suction or vacuum source fixed to eachother.

The elongated suction or vacuum housing comprises an elongated arcuateor convex bottom wall having a plurality of intake perforations or holesformed therethrough, a side wall extending upwardly from each side ofthe elongated arcuate or convex bottom wall, an end wall having aplurality of perforations or holes extending between corresponding endsof the side walls and a top wall having an outlet port formedtherethrough. A flow aperture formed in the coupling sleeve is disposedin alignment with the outlet port formed in the top wall of theelongated suction or vacuum housing to drain water from the troughthrough the inlet perforations or holes through the outlet port and theflow port to the coupling sleeve and hence to upper suction or vacuumsource.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe invention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and object of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a swimming pool and a pool drain.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional end view of the swimming pool and pooldrain.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional end view of the swimming pool and pool drainwith the water removal device of the present invention in operativeposition relative to the pool drain.

FIG. 4 is a partial end view of the water removal device of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a partial side view of the water removal device of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a partial top view of the water removal device of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional end view of a swimming pool and pool drainwith an alternate embodiment of the water removal device of the presentinvention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIGS. 3 through 7, the present invention relates to a waterremoval device generally indicated as 10 to withdraw virtually all thewater W from the pool drain generally indicated as 12 formed in thebottom 14 of a swimming pool 16. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pooldrain 12 comprises a trough 18 including a side wall 20 extendingupwardly from each side of an arcuate or concave bottom wall 22terminating in a lip or support shelf 24 formed on the upper portionthereof to removably support a grate 26 thereon.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the water removal device 10 comprises anelongated lower suction or vacuum housing generally indicated as 28configured to be at least partially disposed within the trough 18 duringoperation of the water removal device 10 and an upper suction or vacuumsource generally indicated as 30 in fluid communication with the trough18 through the elongated lower suction or vacuum housing 28 toselectively create a suction or vacuum within the trough 18 to draw orremove water W therefrom.

As described hereinafter, the upper suction or vacuum source 30 may bedetachably coupled to the elongated lower suction or vacuum housing 28by an intermediate hollow substantially cylindrical coupling sleevegenerally indicated as 32 affixed to the elongated lower suction orvacuum housing 28 as shown in FIGS. 3 through 6 to removably couple theelongated lower suction or vacuum housing 28 to the upper suction orvacuum source 30. Alternately, the elongated lower suction or vacuumhousing 28 and the upper suction or vacuum source 30 including a vacuumhousing 31 may comprise a single unitized device or unit as shown inFIG. 7

As best shown in FIGS. 4 through 6, the elongated suction or vacuumhousing 28 comprises an elongated lower suction or vacuum chamber 33cooperatively formed by an elongated arcuate or convex bottom wall 34having a plurality of intake perforations or hales generally indicatedas 36 formed therethrough, a side wall 38 extending upwardly from eachside 40 of the elongated arcuate or convex bottom wall 34, an end wall42 having a plurality of perforations or holes generally indicated as 44extending between corresponding ends of the side walls 38 and a top wall46 having a centrally disposed outlet port 48 formed therethroughextending over the upper portions of the side walls 38 and end walls 42.A flow aperture 60 formed in the lower wall 52 of the intermediatehollow substantially cylindrical coupling sleeve 32 is disposed inalignment with the centrally disposed outlet port 48 formed in the topwall 46 of the elongated lower section or vacuum housing 28 to drainwater W from the trough 12 through the intake perforations or holes 36and 42, through the centrally disposed outlet port 48 and the flow port50 to the intermediate hollow substantially cylindrical coupling sleeve32.

A sealing ring or flange 56 is disposed between the lower portion 54 ofthe upper suction or vacuum source 30 and the intermediate hollowsubstantially cylindrical coupling sleeve 32 to form a seal therebetweento maintain the suction or vacuum between the trough 18 of the drain 12and the upper suction or vacuum source 30. Of course, the outsidediameter of the lower portion of the upper suction vacuum source 30 maybe slightly less than the inside diameter of the upper portion of theintermediate hollow substantially cylindrical coupling sleeve 32 to forma press fit therebetween when the water removal device 10 is assembled.

The outside diameter of the lower vacuum housing 31 is greater than thedistance between the upper ends of the side walls 20 such that theintermediate hollow substantially cylindrical coupling sleeve 32 restson the lips or support shelves 24 to hold the water removal device 10 inspaced relationship relative to the bottom of the pool drain 12 as shownin FIG. 3.

Similarly, the outside diameter of the lower vacuum housing 31 isgreater than the distance between the upper ends of the side walls 20such that the intermediate hollow substantially cylindrical couplingsleeve 32 rests on the lips or support shelves 24 to hold the waterremoval device 10 in spaced relationship relative to the bottom of thepool drain 12 as shown in FIG. 7.

Alternately, a plurality of protrusions each indicated as 54 may extendfrom the bottom 10 of elongated suction or vacuum housing 28 to rest onthe arcuate or concave bottom wall 22 of the pool drain 12.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description are efficiently attained andsince certain changes may be made in the above construction withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Now that the invention has been described,

What is claimed is:
 1. A water removal device to withdraw water from thehorizontally disposed elongated trough of a drain formed in the bottomof a swimming pool comprising a horizontally disposed elongated lowersuction or vacuum housing disposed adjacent the bottom of the swimmingpool and configured to be at least partially disposed within the lengthof the horizontally disposed elongated trough, said horizontallydisposed elongated lower suction or vacuum housing including a pluralityof perforations or holes formed along the length thereof to receivewater from the elongated trough and a separate upper suction or vacuumsource independent of the pool pump to create a suction or vacuum todraw water from the bottom of the swimming pool upwardly from theelongated trough through said perforations or holes into and throughsaid horizontally disposed elongated lower suction or vacuum housing toremove the water from the swimming pool, said horizontally disposedelongated suction or vacuum housing comprises a horizontally disposedelongated lower suction or vacuum chamber cooperatively formed by ahorizontally disposed elongated arcuate or convex bottom wall having aplurality of intake perforations or holes formed therethrough, asubstantially vertical flat side wall extending upwardly from each sideof said horizontally disposed elongated arcuate or convex bottom wall, asubstantially vertical flat end wall extending between correspondingends of said substantially vertical flat side walls and a top wallhaving an outlet port formed therethrough extending over the upperportions of said substantially vertical flat side walls and saidsubstantially vertical flat end walls.
 2. The water removal device ofclaim 1 wherein each said substantially vertical flat end wall includesa plurality of intake perforations or holes.
 3. The water removal deviceof claim 1 wherein said upper suction or vacuum source is detachablecoupled to said horizontally disposed elongated lower suction or vacuumhousing by an intermediate hollow coupling sleeve including a lowerwall.
 4. The water removal device of claim 3 wherein each saidsubstantially vertical flat end wall includes a plurality of intakeperforations or holes.
 5. The water removal device of claim 3 wherein aflow aperture is formed in said lower wall of said intermediate hollowcoupling sleeve disposed in alignment with said outlet port formed insaid top wall of said horizontally disposed elongated lower section orvacuum housing to drain water from the trough through said intakeperforations or holes through said outlet port and said flow port tosaid intermediate hollow substantially cylindrical coupling sleeve. 6.The water removal device of claim 5 wherein a sealing ring or flange isdisposed between the lower portion of said upper suction or vacuum andsaid intermediate hollow coupling sleeve to form a seal therebetween tomaintain the suction or vacuum between the trough of the drain and saidupper suction or vacuum source.
 7. The water removal device of claim 1wherein said horizontally disposed elongated lower suction or vacuumhousing and said upper suction or vacuum source comprise a singleunitized device or unit.
 8. The water removal device of claim 1 whereina substantially horizontal lip or support shelf is formed on the upperportion of each said substantially vertical flat side wall and saidlower vacuum housing intake or outside drain, said outside diameter ofthe lower vacuum housing being greater than the distance between saidsubstantially vertical flat side walls such that said intermediatecoupling sleeve rests on said lips or support shelves to hold said waterremoval device in spaced relationship relative to the bottom of thetrough.
 9. A water removal device to withdraw water from thehorizontally disposed elongated trough of a drain formed in the bottomof a swimming pool comprising a horizontally disposed elongated lowersuction or vacuum housing disposed adjacent the bottom of the swimmingpool and configured to be at least partially disposed within the lengthof the horizontally disposed elongated trough, said horizontallydisposed elongated lower suction or vacuum including a plurality ofperforations or holes formed along the length thereof to receive waterfrom the elongated trough and a separate upper suction or vacuum sourceto create a suction or vacuum independent of the pool pump to draw waterfrom the bottom of the swimming pool upwardly from the elongated troughthrough said perforations or holes into and through said horizontallydisposed elongated lower suction or vacuum housing to remove the waterfrom the swimming pool, said horizontally disposed elongated suction orvacuum housing comprises a horizontally disposed elongated lower suctionor vacuum chamber cooperatively formed by a horizontally disposedelongated arcuate or convex bottom wall having a plurality of intakeperforations or holes formed therethrough, a substantially vertical flatside wall extending upwardly from each side of said horizontallydisposed elongated arcuate or convex bottom wall, a substantiallyvertical flat end wall extending between corresponding ends of saidsubstantially vertical flat side walls and a top wall having an outletport formed therethrough extending over the upper portions of saidsubstantially vertical flat side walls and said substantially verticalflat end walls.
 10. The water removal device of claim 9 furtherincluding a plurality of protrusions extending from said horizontallydisposed elongated lower section or vacuum housing to engage the troughto support the water removal in spaced relation thereto.
 11. A waterremoval device to withdraw water from the horizontally disposedelongated trough of a drain formed in the bottom of a swimming poolcomprising a horizontally disposed elongated lower suction or vacuumhousing disposed adjacent the bottom of the swimming pool and configuredto be at least partially disposed within the length of the horizontallydisposed elongated trough, said horizontally disposed elongated suctionor vacuum housing comprises a horizontally disposed elongated lowersuction or vacuum chamber cooperatively formed by a horizontallydisposed elongated arcuate or convex bottom wall, a side wall extendingupwardly from each side of said horizontally disposed elongated arcuateor convex bottom wall, an end wall formed on each opposite end portionof said water removal device said horizontally disposed elongatedsuction vacuum housing having at least one hole formed therein toreceive water from the horizontally disposed elongated trough drain byan upper suction or vacuum.
 12. The water removal device of claim 11wherein each said end wall includes at least one hole.
 13. The waterremoval device of claim 12 wherein said elongated arcuate or convexbottom wall includes at least one intake hole formed therethrough. 14.The water removal device of claim 13 wherein said elongated arcuate orconvex bottom wall includes a plurality of intake holes.
 15. The waterremoval device of claim 14 wherein each said end wall includes aplurality of intake holes.
 16. The water removal device of claim 12wherein each said end wall includes a plurality of intake holes.